Mumbai university > mechanical engineering > sem 7 > cad/cam/cae

Marks: 6M

Difficulty: Medium

A flexible manufacturing system (FMS) is an arrangement of machines ... interconnected by a transport system. The transporter carries work to the machines on pallets or other interface units so that work-machine registration is accurate, rapid and automatic. A central computer controls both machines and transport system.

FMS is called flexible due to the reason that it is capable of processing a variety of different part styles simultaneously at the workstation and quantities of production can be adjusted in response to changing demand patterns.

The basic components of FMS are:

1.Workstations:- In present day application these workstations are typically computer numerical control (CNC) machine tools that perform machining operation on families of parts. Flexible manufacturing systems are being designed with other type of processing equipment including inspection stations, assembly works and sheet metal presses. The various workstations are

(i) Machining centers

(ii) Load and unload stations

(iii) Assembly work stations

(iv) Inspection stations

(v) Forging stations

(vi) Sheet metal processing, etc

2.Automated Material Handling and Storage system: The various automated material handling systems are used to transport work parts and subassembly parts between the processing stations, sometimes incorporating storage into function.
The various functions of automated material handling and storage system are

(i) Random and independent movement of work parts between workstations.

(ii) Handling of a variety of work part configurations.

(iii) Temporary storage.

(iv) Convenient access for loading and unloading of work parts.

(v) Compatible with computer control.

3.Computer Control System: It is used to coordinate the activities of the processing stations and the material handling system in the FMS.
The various functions of computer control system are:

(i) Control of each work station

(ii) Distribution of control instruction to work station

(iii) Production control

(vi) Traffic control

(v) Shuttle control

(vi) Work handling system and monitoring

(vii) System performance monitoring and reporting